Last week's deaths of five American servicemen provide a stark reminder of the peril posed by our nation's military presence in Afghanistan. Eight years after the Sept. 11 attacks that justified the American decision to invade and force out the Taliban, this country remains unstable. Perhaps as much as ever.

The commander of U.S. and NATO forces is calling for additional American troops — some 40,000 more than the 68,000 who are supposed to be in Afghanistan by year's end. It would be a major commitment of this country's financial and human capital.

If it can help bring stability and quash the growth of terrorism, a military buildup also is the proper action.

We do not make that statement carelessly. We are well aware of the sacrifices that Jackson-area families have made in Afghanistan and Iraq this decade. Committing more troops increases the grim possibility that reservists from this area — our friends, families and neighbors — will serve and be put in harm's way.

That is a sacrifice that is worth making. Afghanistan was a safe haven for Osama bin Laden and al-Qaida before the Sept. 11 attacks. It was a powder keg and will be again if our country does nothing. Already, military commanders say the situation they face is deteriorating. Allegations of fraud in the recent presidential election there add to the turbulence.

Military chiefs say the addition of troops would allow them to use some of the same strategies that have pacified Iraq the last couple of years. They want to get soldiers out into communities to build trust and to train the Afghan military.

Critics of a greater deployment say the U.S. has other options. They note similar conditions in neighboring Pakistan. Michigan Sen. Carl Levin insists that we can accomplish the goal of stabilizing Afghanistan if we accelerate the training. Let Afghanis fight their own battles, essentially.

We are inclined to trust the recommendations of those who are on the ground in Afghanistan, who see the situation firsthand. They say the Afghan military is not ready to guard this fragmented country. They are confident that an American troop presence is needed.

President Obama ought to agree to the military's request, with some conditions. There should be expectations, measured in peace and political progress, that come with a military buildup.

There should not be a firm, public timetable for a troop pullout — don't advertise our plan to the enemy — but the president should set benchmarks that he expects his diplomatic and military leaders to meet. Do not sacrifice our young soldiers' lives to an open-ended engagement.

Make no mistake, the U.S. has a presence in Afghanistan for good reason, and that presence should pay off in quelling terrorism worldwide. But our country's goals require persistence and willingness to invest time and, sadly, lives.

Ultimately, President Obama must listen to his military advisers' carefully considered recommendations. The U.S. needs to fight this battle — and win.— Jackson Citizen Patriot